1 “ But please, Job, hear my speech, And listen to all my words.

¶ Therefore, Job, hear now my reasons, and hearken to all my words.

2 N ow, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth.

Behold, now I shall open my mouth, my tongue shall speak in my mouth.

3 M y words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge.

My reasons declare the uprightness of my heart; and my lips shall utter pure knowledge.

4 T he Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.

5 I f you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand.

If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.

6 T ruly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.

Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead; I also am formed out of the clay.

7 S urely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you.

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.

8 “ Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,

¶ Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

9 ‘ I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.

I am clean without rebellion, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

10 Y et He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy;

Behold, God sought occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy,

11 H e puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.’

he put my feet in the stocks, he guards all my paths.

12 “ Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man.

Behold, in this thou art not just; I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

13 W hy do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.

Why dost thou strive against him? For he will not answer all of thy words.

14 F or God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.

¶ Nevertheless, in one or two manners God speaks to the one who does not see.

15 I n a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

16 T hen He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.

then he opens the ears of men and seals their instruction,

17 I n order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man,

that he may withdraw the man from his own work and cover the man from pride.

18 H e keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

Thus he keeps back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword.

19 “ Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones,

¶ He is chastened also upon his bed with strong pain in all his bones,

20 S o that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food.

so that his life abhors bread and his soul dainty food.

21 H is flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen.

His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

22 Y es, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.

His soul shall draw near to the grave, and his life to those that would bury him.

23 “ If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness,

If there is a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness;

24 T hen He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’;

to tell him that God had mercy on him, that he delivered him from going down to the pit; that he found a ransom;

25 H is flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth.

his flesh shall become more tender than a child’s; and he shall return to the days of his youth.

26 H e shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.

He shall pray unto God, and he will love him; and he shall see his face with shouts of joy; for he will render unto the man the recompense of his righteousness.

27 T hen he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’

He looks upon men, and if any say, I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it did not profit me;

28 H e will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light.

God will ransom his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

29 “ Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man,

¶ Behold, God does all these things two and three times with man,

30 T o bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

to turn back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

31 “ Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak.

Hear me, O Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.

32 I f you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you.

If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.

33 I f not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

If not, hearken unto me; be silent, and I shall teach thee wisdom.